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Bring a Trailer: 1959 International Harvester Metro

1 of 5You aren't likely to see many of these International Harvester Metro vans on the road -- let alone one in this condition.

Photo by eBay

2 of 5The clean, two-tone sides of the truck would make a great rolling billboard.

Photo by eBay

3 of 5The interior is set up for ice cream vending and comes complete with stainless-steel freezers.

Photo by eBay

4 of 5The truck looks as good underneath as it does topsides -- a rarity for a well-used work vehicle.

Photo by eBay

5 of 5Expect to pay a premium for the truck's extensive restoration.

Photo by eBay

When we think International Harvester, we picture no-nonsense pickups, early SUVs and, of course, agricultural equipment.

We certainly don't imagine two-tone art deco service vehicles like the white-on-pastel-blue 1959 International Harvester Metro van featured at Bring a Trailer. We're glad this one popped up, though, because its charming Raymond Loewy design -- built from 1938 to 1975 -- has long been overshadowed by the iconic offerings from Divco.

While these work trucks were often used and put away wet, photos of the trucks impressively thorough restoration suggest that rust has been banished once and for all. Expect to pay a premium for all the heavy lifting that's already been done, though. With around five days left on the truck's eBay auction, the price sits at $25,200 -- and the reserve hasn't been met.

If you're guessing that this would make a great ice cream truck, you're on the same page as its current owner/restorer: The interior is kitted out with food service equipment including stainless-steel freezers.

You could fit the truck with a terrible sound system that only plays a tinny version of “The Entertainer” and use it to sling cheap fudgesicles, but its uniqueness demands something more -- perhaps a lineup of gelato in keeping with the high-end food truck craze.

Graham Kozak
- Graham Kozak drove a 1951 Packard 200 sedan in high school because he wanted something that would be easy to find in a parking lot. He thinks all the things they're doing with fuel injection and seatbelts these days are pretty nifty too.
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